Further safety measures can reduce threat of oil spill

The article entitled “Green refineries better alternative than tankers” (Nov. 11 Saanich News), written by Mr. David Black is both interesting and puzzling.

Mr. Black wrote some years ago about his ambitions to construct an oil refinery on the very coastline he now wishes to protect, by banning all oil tanker traffic along our coasts. In his explanations, he asserts that tankers carrying “refined” oil products do not pose too great a risk for the environment, should these end up on the rocks. His opinion is correct.

Many people are content to believe what others tell them to believe; discovering true facts for themselves is too bothersome for most. Reading and understanding the science is after all boring and such a time-consuming chore. Much misinformation exists about the topic of oil production and the environment as well as the safe transportation via pipelines or tankers. The general public accepts almost anything the environmentalists or politicians tell them about climate change and Canada’s ‘contribution’ as to the cause of it.

Since Canada’s contribution to CO2 has been scientifically determined to be in the range of about three per cent during the past 100 years, it must be obvious to anyone that for this country to cease oil production and its consumption altogether is a totally foolish effort in countering any changes in the climate we currently have. Our efforts to offset any changes in our warming climate will prove to be too small to measure accurately.

Many people think moreover that our government is totally justified in applying a carbon tax to consumers, just to be on the ‘safe’ side for saving our world. While billions of dollars will be collected by government, no significant benefits to the Canadian taxpayers can result.

Climate changes have occurred in the past, even during the Middle Ages well before the industrial era commenced. Our sun’s inconsistent radiant output, from one century to the next, plays a significant role in the forever changing variance of our world’s climate, as proven by scientific research.

To comment further on Mr. Black’s article, pipelines and oil tankers can be designed with additional safety factors including their operation, for improved safety and accident prevention. Considering the hundreds of oil tankers that ply the world’s oceans daily without serious mishaps of any kind, for untold numbers of years, proves that much of the rhetoric about pipeline and oil tanker disaster concerns is grossly exaggerated.

There is always an element of risk involved but with applied modern technology, this is relatively small considering the benefits this industry will deliver for all Canadians.